New surgical methods of benefit to both humans and animals
Odd Höglund, at the Department of Clinical Sciences, SLU tells us more about an exciting research project in translational veterinary medicine and surgery he is currently working on.
Odd Höglund has many years of experience in developing and testing new methods and techniques within surgery, often together with scientists in biomaterials, first as a PhD student, later as a senior lecturer in translational veterinary medicine, with special responsibility for extension and now as a recently appointed professor in small animal surgery.
Could you tell us more about some projects within translational medicine that you are working on?
“Uppsala University has done a lot of research into ceramic biomaterials for many years, and has become very skilled in that area. If the materials are manufactured correctly, bone-forming cells thrive in the material; it then acts as a scaffold for bone-forming cells, and the material contributes calcium and phosphorus to the bone-forming cells.”
“I had a post-doc from a group within biomaterials at Uppsala University, he brought with him a lot of knowledge from the biomaterial research area. The materials mean that we don't have to harvest donor tissue (in humans, bone tissue is usually taken from the hip bone, in dogs, we usually harvest it from the "upper arm bone" humerus). Instead, those synthetic ceramic materials can be used, man-made bone graft material. Such a material has been made commercially available to veterinarians, largely thanks to our joint project with Uppsala University.”
“From the same group comes another very interesting story – calcium and phosphorus can be combined with an amino acid, and we get a resorbable bone glue. This is a completely new technology, inspired by how mussels attach to the surface. We did early mechanical studies in a cadaver model to investigate how strong the material is, and how much stability it can contribute with. That product has just been made commercially available to veterinarians by an Irish company.”
“In the event of fractures, the fragments are traditionally stabilized using plates and screws. A group from KTH, the Malkoch group, has developed a composite material that enables a different technique – first screws are placed in bone tissue, then the plate is “manufactured in the patient”. The composite material is placed over the screws and fracture, the material is illuminated with a “dental lamp” and hardens in a few seconds. According to the data we have, the material performs mechanically equivalent to traditional metal plates. We will present follow-up data at this fall’s major surgery meeting, ACVS.”
“Why are we doing this, what is the aim and objective? All developments in surgery are about enabling faster, easier, more efficient and safer surgery, with shortened recovery time and reduced risk of complications. Our work generates knowledge about where-when-how innovative techniques can or should be used – and that can be of benefit for both humans and animals.”
How does the research relate to the One Health concept?
“Relating to One Health – many challenges and problems are the same, or similar, when it comes to caring for humans and animals. What we learn on one side, animal or human, can benefit the other side.”
What do you consider the key challenges and opportunities in your research area in relation to comparative medicine and One Health?
“We have fantastic opportunities here at SLU ‒ close collaboration with Uppsala University and the Royal Institute of Technology (KTH). We have facilities and resources at SLU to do the first tests under safe conditions and access to a test bed for continued evaluation. Uppsala is also home to the authority in the field, the Medical Products Agency. The competence center that has been developed in Uppsala in 3D printing of biomaterials is a good example of exciting development in Uppsala, which opens up for new future projects. When everything is in geographical proximity, the creation of synergy effects is simplified.”
Links
Read more about Odd Höglund’s research:
Scientific articles:
Canine ex vivo tarsal arthrodesis: fixation by using a new bone tissue glue